I've been pretty busy this week which is why blogging was low on my priority list (I don't know if anyone reads this blog, anyway, so what does it matter). Having said that, I'm also reluctant to comment on the the debate over the President's response to the Ryan budget plan. I read the transcript of the speech, and I've read many of the opinion pieces that came in its wake. Essentially, it all boils down to this. Conservatives think the speech was a disgrace and liberals think it was marvelous. If you don't want to spend too much time recognizing the distinction, I recommend you read just two pieces...this one by Charles Krauthammer for the conservative side and this one by Paul Krugman for the liberals. What is so discouraging about all of this is that I believe, as Jay Cost does, that this speech was really all about the 2012 election. Obama needs to shore up his liberal base and the speech was the opening play in achieving that goal. I see absolutely no chance of any bipartisan compromise that would help the country avoid the massive debt crisis that is looming on the horizon anytime in the next two years. It will take another election. It will also take an election that results in one side or the other getting complete control of the Federal Government. If not, then we will kick the can down the road another two or four years. Depressing, I know, but that is how I see it.